Crimson guardian
by Iovis
Summary: This story is about how the evil of life transforms the people. How a single day can changes the entire life. How love becomes hate. How moral ideals dies and how the guardians will solve big problems without magic powers.
1. Bleeding lips

** Author's notes**

I don't own W.I.T.C.H. series or comic. This story is about how the evil of life transforms the people. This story shows how a single day can change the entire life, how love becomes hate and how moral ideals dies.

The guardians will have to solve big problems without very much magic power, to find the truth behind their problems.

** Bleeding lips**

Someone said that hate makes you stronger. Another person said that the love makes you stronger. Actually, these feelings make you stronger. Hate makes you to kill who you hate. Love makes you to save who you love. But what is happening when you feel hate and love for the same person? I think that our friend with crimson hair did not think about this question.

After school, our guardian enjoys a sunny day. It's a hot day of May. The birds fly smoothly like the falling leaves. Few cars are moving shy on the hot road. The noise of motors sounds as how the waves hit the beach. Even when it's about to fall, the sun shines strong. Shadow of trees colds the hot asphalt. She is going smoothly to her home. Her pair of pants is white like sun rays. Her T-shirt has a strong purple. On shoulders has her wild green backpack, with the frog hanging.

Apartments building cover her body with a dense shadow. With smooth steps, she arrives in front of her apartment. Before opening the door, our guardian hears voice of her mother.

"I think you are crazy! You are crazy if you think you can do such a thing. Listen, see your life, monster."

She didn't think too much. Her heart is nearly to explode when she heard the sound of the words. She enters, how a hammer beats the nail.

"Mom, are you okay?"

She looks scared of her mother how she closes her phone. Susan smile soft at her daughter.  
"I'm fine. Why did you ask me?"

"I hope you are not upset."

She gets her backpack down looking at her mother how she is hugging her.

"Why should be upset, Will?"

Our guardian looks with widened eyes. Her arms are weak. Susan places an envelope between two books. The bookshelf is grand in appearance and carry out the attention from moves of hand of her mother.

"I hear you scream. I thought something is wrong."

"Ah… It's hard day at work. A crazy man who like to make everyone nervous. "

"Okay! I hope you will not be nervous because I will meet with Matt in this evening."

She smile with entire mouth at her mother.

"I will not be nervous if you will be back before nine o'clock."

"Yes, mom!"

She hugs her mother with a big smile, trow her backpack and runs on the door.

The park is . Our guardian is waiting for him with impatience. Rays of sun touch easily her crimson hair. Someone cover her eyes with the hands. She recognizes the hands and put her hands on his hands. Crimson hair girl turns her gaze to man behind her. She kissed him with passion, touching him strong on his chest.

"You always know how to make your appearance."

"I see you moving around and I had think to stop you."

"And you are always late."

Smiling at Matt, she's holding his throat.

"Sorry! I have some work with band. We worked for new album."

"What is the name of your new album?"

They are holding the hands each other.

"It's secret!"

Matt said that grinning at her. They are going to walk on main alley of the park.

"Oh, come on! I don't have secrets to you. You know I'm a guardian. You can't say the name of an album."

"Okay, okay! I tell you in your ear."

He gets his mouth near to her right ear and touch her neck with gentle moves. She turns her glance to his face waiting for him to tell her the name of the new album. The sun is on the line of horizon. Half of the sky is a hot orange, meanwhile the other half is a cold and dark blue. The stars begin to appear shy. The two lovers enjoy the silence of the evening. They are sitting on a wooden bench. After some moments, our red hair girl raises.

"You know, I have to go home. I don't want to see my mom nervous, again."

"Why your mother is nervous?"

He raises from bench and follows her.

"Hard day at work…"

She nodded her head thinking about words what her mother has spoken. At exit of the park, are some people going to their home. The sun's rays create a mysterious shadow on parked cars. Many cars have calm colors, but one has a crimson red color with black windows. The number of car is written in black on metal dyed with white: VAT-119. Lanterns begin to light. A pale light makes shadows around of lovers' bodies. They are staring at each other. He is moving gently his hands on her neck.

"Yes! Goodbye, Matt!"

She puts her hands on his neck with a soft move.

"Goodbye, Will!"

She kisses him. It's a long kiss. Perhaps, it's a french kiss. They close their eyes. Their bodies are nearly coherent. Crimson girl moves her hands softly over his back. The boy continues to keep strong her skinny body. For some seconds their minds are empty and their muscles are relaxed.

After a second the fire of a weapon is heard. People around begin to scream. The crimson car with black windows accelerates with deafening noise and leaves the park. Panic fills the silence of the evening. Our guardian stopped from kissing him. She remains paralyzed like a tree. Only winds move her hair. Her mouth remains open. From her lips flows river of blood as the Amazon river goes to Atlantic. Crimson guardian looks scared at her love. Her pale face can believe. Her love fall on the ground, with head covered with a red and dark liquid.

She doesn't hear the screams and agitation from the street. She hears only his pulse. But his pulse is gone. She feels like she falls in the void. A man picks up his phone and calls the police, but our guardian didn't hear him. She remains with the sound of a gun. The sound repeats again and again, in her mind. The blood continues to flow down over her face. Her eyes are big, but her glance is empty.


	2. Trembling hand

** Trembling hand**

Sometimes small things can make big changes. A small piece of metal stopped life of a boy, changes life of a girl and destroyed the hope of of two parents. Our guardian understand that in a brutal way.

A quiet spring evening is transformed into bloody night. Red and blue lights break the darkness of night. Many people around, many are scared. Many of them are interrogated by policemen. The father of water guardian is between them, isolating the area of the crime. Four police cars are around the entrance of the park. Matt's corpse is carried in an ambulance by two medics. Our crimson guardian is on a bench, looking at dark cement with hands on her shoulders. Her mother is standing up near her. They are with a policeman and a medic.

"Mrs. Susan, stay calm. Your daughter wasn't hurt. She is in a catatonic state."

"I need more explanation…"

"She is shocked. I suggest you to go home. She will need psychological counseling… Perhaps she will need a neurological exam."

She knows something is wrong with her daughter, looking at her. Susan wants to help her daughter with all cost. He writes to on a clipboard and give a paper in hand of Susan. A policeman comes to them.

"Mrs. Susan, do you know a person with bad intention on Matt or your daughter?"

"I don't know who want such a thing. Don't tell me someone want to shoot my daughter!"

"We have questioned all the people around. It's better to have her declaration when she will be able to speak. That is my number."

"Thanks, mister officer! I will call you when will be possible. Will let's go."

Red head girl doesn't respond She still is looking down like the statues from the park. Her mom put a hand on her shoulder and ask her if she is okay. Then our guardian turns her head to her mother with a robot move and big eyes. Her chest is nearly static, the moves are nearly invisible. Her mother tries to speak with a gentle voice.

"Do you hear me, Will? Come on… Let's go."

The girl raises from the bench and follow her mother with robotic moves and fixed glance.

The morning come fast. The sun's rays touch easily the buildings of Heatherfield. Shadows of structures are friendly. Birds fly above the cold air. The light enters shyly in Will's room.

"Honey! Do you are awake? Come on, Will! It's a beautiful day."

Our guardian raised from bed, with robotic moves. She is going slowly to wardrobe with silent steps. Her eyes see all clothes, but her eyes don't see the colors. Actually, her eyes don't want to see, her eyes want to cry. Crimson girl can't cry, she lost her emotions, she lost power to love. Our guardian took a black T-shirt and a black pair of pants.

In the bathroom, the mirror can't reflect eyes of our guardian because her eyes don't receive anymore the light. She brushes her teeth with rigid moves, looking in the mirror without seeing anything. Our guardian leaves her hair disheveled and her face unwashed, continues her way to the kitchen. She looks at food, but doesn't eat very much. The silence of her daughter is noisily for Susan.

"These days I have very bit to work. I hope I can come early to home. I thought do you like gem. Try the omelet. It's with cheese."

Her mother put the fork on the table. She hear this weak sound like the sound of bullet.

"Your aren't hungry? If it's something, you can tell me."

Our guardian hit the table with her palms and rises from her chair after the words of her mother.

"I don't need protection! I'm very fine!"

"Will, it's not necessary to scream. I'm your mother and I want only your good."

On the way to school, crimson girl doesn't speak. Susan drives the car carefully and ask herself how to help her daughter. After all, this is the fight of our guardians. The wounds need time to heal. The car stops in the front of the school. She opens the door and exit with her backpack in hand.

"Do you take all you need?"

"Yes, mom."

She closed the door. The car runs on the road softly. Our guardian looks absent-minded. Her moves are rigid and her eyes are emotionless. Some students can distinguish differences how she was before and how she is now. Some of them are curious, other know about her boyfriend. A voice make own way between the voices of students.

"Will! Will!"

Our guardian continue her way to the class, without hearing her the voice.

"Will! Do you hear me?"

A blond girl stands in front of her and she make widened her gazel eyes.

"Oh… Hi, Cornelia!"

"Wow! You look like a zombie..."

"Irma, I think it's not time to joke."

"That wasn't a joke. Now serious, have you sleep this night?"

"Not very much, I don't think that is important. And… And why do you behave like this?"

"Will, we know how you feel and..."

"You don't know how I feel! Don't talk about that."

"And we are your friend and don't want to hurt you."

"You already did that."

"Okay, okay! Sorry..."

She is going to class room, leaving her friend. Our guardian is asking herself if she feels something. Crimson girl finds she feels like a empty box, as a telephone what remains battery.

The classroom is dominated by biology course, the science of life forms. It's heard the only voice of the teacher telling the students about respiratory system. The teachers draw some schematics on the black board. Crimson girl tries to take her notes, but she can't control her hands. Fingers are rigid like wooden plank. Her hand shakes like leaves in shy wind. The pen fall on the cold floor. She picks up the pen and continues to write, actually to try. Then pen fall for another two times. Her blond friend looks at her sadly, but she doesn't know how to help crimson girl. The teacher hears the sound of the pen.

"Miss Vandom, do you are okay?"

Class hours have ended. Red and blonde girls are in the bus, going to home. Crimson girl is still with a glance down. Cornelia put her hand on chin of leader and raises her glance.

"If you need, I can help you with history and biology."

She smiles at her leader to distract from the problem, but their glances move to her hand. Guardian leader understands that is a big problem. She feels heavy like a cube of steel and weak like a cube of paper. Ashamed, she tries to respond to her friend.

"Thanks! Please don't tell anyone about that."

"It's okay, Will. It's not a problem."

She hugged her before the bus stop. The bus stop and noise of doors is heard. Redheaded girl exits from the bus. Cornelia is impatient and her mind wants to know how much time she will have until she come home. Earth guardian picks up her phone and she looks at the screen. The clock of blonde guardian shows eighteen and one minute. It's easy for her to remember times when the bus stops. Almost every day the bus stop at same time.

The bus closed his door and continues the route. Our guardian is going to her home with the glance fixed to the ground. On the road to the home, in the parking lots is a crimson car with black windows. For a moment this car distracts her attention from the death of her boyfriend. She asks herself where she has seen it. The number of car is VAT-119. After a second, the car runs on the road and pass beside of red hair girl.

An electric feeling on her spine make her moves more determined. Crimson girl climbs the stairs with rigid steps. She looks up and sees the door at her apartment is open. Her steps are bigger and are moves are faster. She enters scared in the room looking around. Our guardian finds her mother unconscious, on the floor. Her hand begins to tremble more hard and the backpack fall on the cold floor. She runs to her mother to check her pulse and puts the hand on the phone to call an ambulance with despair on the face.


	3. Loyalty

** Loyalty**

A sword with two edges, you can put down your opponents and you can hurt yourself. The difference is how you use it. Loyalty is expensive for the one who receives it and is painful for the one who gives it. Raythor knows that, but our guardians know that?

The light of the sun hovers Heatherfield. It's a new morning, a new day and new opportunities. Our blind guardian brushes her hair, meanwhile her father is looking at the news and her mother prepare the breakfast. After she put her papers and books in the backpack, her father calls her.

"Cornelia, is not your friend?"

Cornelia leaves her room and enters in the living room.

"What is dad?"

She makes big eyes when she looks on the screen of TV.

"A student from the Sheffield institute, Wilhelmina Fandom was arrested last night. She killed her mother by choking. At eighteen o'clock, a neighbor called the police. He told the officers he heard scream for help from apartment of family Vandom. The girl says she found the door open and her mother on the floor. An ambulance was called by her after four minutes of call of a neighbor. Forensic medic has just found only the fingerprints of Wilhelmina. She says she tried to check the pulse. One day before, her boyfriend was shot in the head. Now, she is in police arrest. Today she will be sent to High security prison for women, Bedford Hills and she will receive a sentence of fifteen years..."

"I can't believe that..."

She stays paralyzed like a tree and looks at heavy image of the screen. The fragile hands like porcelain are bound with hard metal. Her innocent face is pushed on the of police car.

It's break time in Sheffield. Many students are in the schoolyard. Many of them talking about what they see on TV, many of them are blaming our guardian. Air guardian runs to the school to bring some minutes with her friends and to tell them the news.

"Girls! You wouldn't believe that!"

"Will was arrested."

The three girls speak these words in same time and with monotone tone. Hay Lin stopped running as a leaf falling in the water.

"So, our leader lost her minds?"

"I don't know... I was with her in the bus, she was fine… Okay if we think about Matt."

"Was that a accident or moment of anger? She never killed a monster of Phobos, but her mother..."

"Girls… Cornelia, what time was it, when Will exits from the bus?"

"After she exits, I looked at my phone and was eighteen."

"The reporter said that was eighteen clock when someone call the police. Will wasn't in her apartment at that moment. It's necessary at least two minutes to go from bus station to her apartment: the door, stairs… Plus, she was slowly and robotic yesterday."

Water guardian looks at cold pavement. She raises her glance, after the word of Taranne.

"She wasn't at her home at the moment of crime. She is not the criminal."

"That can be true... But that is too hard to proof and reporter said that only her fingerprints was found."

"Because the killer worked with gloves or the killer knows how to hides the tracks."

Water guardian thinks seriously about what is happening these days. Perhaps, She regrets her last joke about Will, even that joke was innocent. Her glance remains sad, looking at the cement, but in a moment she try to break the silence.

"I'm very sure she didn't kill her mother."

She takes a deep breaths and continues to speak, clenching her fist. An impulse push her to do something. A tornado of emotions are inside of her mind, from compassion for Will, to anger against the lack of fairness and justice in the world.

"I'm with Will and I don't want to see her lost in a place with criminals."

Fire guardian drags her by the fist of Irma. She hover her hand with her palm.

"I'm with Will, and I will be with her."

Earth guardian put her hands over their hands.

"I'm with Will, she is our leader!"

Air guardian make similar move with innocence.

"She is the heart, I'm with her!"

Their hands make a cross.

The students are going to classroom, but air guardian is looking at one teacher who still remains outside while she is going to the class.

"Ms. Knickerbocker, I can't let's you to talk about her in a such way. She is not a criminal, I know her, I know her mother such a thing it's impossible for a girl like her..."

"Mister Collins, I know you were close with her mother, but…"

"You know nothing and I will demonstrate that…"

"This girl dirty the name of the school. Now go to classroom or I penalize you."

Mister Lair, a severe father, a father working for his children. His mind works with stacks of paper, but someone break the silence of his office.

"Dad, I must talk with you!"

"Irma, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be at school, at this hour."

"Dad, you can punish me later. It's about Will."

"Oh… I know she is your friend, But I can't let's you to be friend with a criminal."

"Dad, please! She is not a killer. I have a proof."

"Irma, I please you, go back to the school."

"Dad! She has only fifteen years. How is possible send her to stay in prison for one more life..."

"Irma! Let's me to explain. I have receive the order, it's not my decision and investigation says there was nobody else. Our state allows to be sent to prison the minors with age over fourteen years."

"I know that, but..."

A voice from the phone interrupt Irma.

"Mister, Lair! The helicopter has arrive!"

"Yes, John!"

Tom raises from chair moves to the door. She is agitate move around him.

"What helicopter?"

"Please! Believe me... I didn't killed my mother!"

"Blindfold! Blindfold her! We receive the order."

"Those from prison like to do that."

Irma follows the sound of screams. Her father comes on her steps. She sees her leader how is pulled by two cops on the stairs, with cold handcuffs on her weak hands. One of them hit her head on the stair, and blindfold her with a black material. The hit sound like a collision between two stones. They show no mercy to her. She tried everything what was in her head to convince them. What she can do now is to sobbing like a child scared of the death.

"Shut up bitch! The only place for you is the hell."

Water guardian continues to follow her lead. She climbs the stairs as how a waterfall hit the ground. On the roof of the police station, the rotor of helicopter awakens the dust. The sun is strong and merciless. The cops drag hard her arms. Water guardian looks how she lost her friend. She scream the name of her leader scared.

"Will!"

"Irma!"

The voice of our guardian is too weak to be heard by her comrade, but water guardian can understand she says something. She is thinking she will never see her leader, her friend. Only the motor of a helicopter is heard. The cops throw her in the helicopter. The last of them entering closes the door. Tom puts his hands on the shoulders of his daughter, but she doesn't want affection. She wants answers, wants justice. She saw her leader arrested, abused. Her comrade, who protects innocent people and fights against of evil. A tear flows on the check of water guardian, who looks how helicopter disappears into the sky. Our guardian leaves the Heatherfield, but her mind remains her with many questions: who killed her boyfriend, who killed her mother and why.


	4. Bedford Hills

** Bedford Hills**

The sun, the hope of life, his rays hit the armor of the helicopter. The heat inside dries the body of our guardian. Her last meal was morning, yesterday. She can't see the light of day. She feels the grips of the cops. She feels the cut on her hand made by handcuffs. She feels the weakness. Her body is above Bedford, but her mind doesn't leave the Heatherfield.

A small town with a big hell. The irregular hexagon shape of the prison is a hole in the big carpet made be the trees of forest. Two walls separate the prison from the world. Both of them have three meters height and barbed wire on top. The outer wall is metallic, charged with ten thousands voltage. Inner wall is sad and made of concrete. A building with visitation rooms, three heliports and six big squared towers at each edge of the hexagon are between these two walls. Out of these walls is space with parking lots. One shy road connects the prison with the rest of the world.

The glance of guards is merciless. The black hoods hide any emotion on their face. Their black boots break the basalts. Their camouflage hides them in arid plains. Their black gloves of Kevlar have merciless touch. Their dark protections for articulations cut the wood. Their Kevlar vests are the hate for the sins.

Some of them have an automatic weapon. One of them doesn't hide face with hood. His dark eyes don't have mercy or tears. His brown hair is spiky and short. The cigarette freezes when he puts the mouth on it. The smoke flies from his nose, like the flares of a dragon. His gaze is on the image of the helicopter landing. The door of helicopter begins to open. His voice is like the sound of falling stones.

"Welcome to the hell!"

The guard passes her the second wall, with savage steps. Some guards, many of them women, try to make a small wall around her. They take off the dark material from her eyes. Our guardian looks around, while she is dragged by guards. She sees around many women inmates. Many of them are bloody criminals. Many obscene signs poisons her eyes. Many screams and many interjections pierces her ears. She hears the sound of dark minds, of the women who killed their children.

"Hey, you! Kiss my tits!"

"Do you have boyfriend, beauty? I want to take you in my bed! It's very hot, like your hair!"

"Look at this bitch! Yeah!"

"Taste my saliva!"

It's evening, time for dinner. The canteen has many thick table made of wood with metal bars. Each table has six round seats. The northern wall is hovered with big windows. Some doors are on the eastern wall. The western wall has an opening to the kitchen, where the food come, with metallic plates, with a metallic grill. The prisoners wears electric orange uniforms. The color of uniforms make a powerful contrast with the gray of concrete or the green vegetation.

Our guardian takes her portion of soup and five slices of bread. The soup is yellow with some pieces of carrot and gray meat. She sits on the most isolated corner away from the crowd of sadistic women. Her mind is more filling than her stomach.

"Why?"

She whispers to herself with a weak voice like a summer wind. She is in the prison for something she never did. The pain is hitting her brain. Many toughs eat from her energy and distract her from the lunch. Many memories fly in her mind, like the light of flashlight. Her mother is death, her boyfriend is death. Apparently same person did that and she has no proof. She is thinking at every possible solutions, but each solution sound like a science fiction scenario for her. Finally she finish her first meal and last meal on this day.

Two guards guided her to the cell. First door has four horizontal bars and ten horizontal bars. Second door is filled with steel and concrete. Third door is like the first door. She looks around in the cell, alone. A small window is on the top of the wall, covered with five vertical cold metal bars. A double bunk bed is on the left side. The right side is occupied by a toilet and a washbasin with a mirror and a small wardrobe. The walls are fade and sad.

Our guardian take the heart of Kandrakar out of her breast. She tries to teleport, but nothing. Crimson girl looks around and see how reflects the energy of the heart. The heart glows powerful and the light is reflected in her eyes.

"I will don't lose you! I will fight for you with the price of my life. I promise."

She hides it at her breast and sits on the bed, after these words said with a soft voice. Meanwhile, the powerful sound of doors is heard and two women entered.

"Hello, beauty!"

"Hi!"

Our guardian smile, but she doesn't know that. The smile is the sign of a fight, in the prison.  
The brunette tries to put her hand on the breast of our guardian, with a hungry face.

"Hey, bad girl! What are you doing in my bed? You want..."

"Take your hands!"

Crimson girl raised from the bed and gets back. The brunette tries to touch her again, but redhead hit her with right foot and she falls. The blond prison gives her a punch in left side of her face and another in the stomach. Redhead girl falls on the floor. Our guardian is defeated, in less than five seconds. The brunette raises from the floor and begins to speak.

"Now, let's get to know each other. I'm Carolyn and I killed my boyfriend after he broke up with me. Now I'm here for entire my life."

The blond take a glass with water from the washbasin. Her eyes are merciless, while move toward to redhead girl.

"Oh… Sweetie you are very stirred. It's not enough for this place. You look thirsty. Take some water."

The blond spills the water on her face and throws the glass on the floor. Many glass fragments are around, on the floor. Our guardian looks in the eyes of the blind, trying to show no fear. Her hard breath breaks the silence. The blond gets her face near to face of a redhead.

"My name is Marybeth and killed eight children like you, with only a pillow. Good night!"

The light of the cell is off. The two women get back in their beds. Our guardian sleeps on the floor, with open eyes. Her life is filled with darkness, waiting to see the light of day. Her mind is too filled to think and her heart is too empty to fight.


	5. The lost heart

** The lost heart**

You can lose everything in the fight, besides honor. But, what can we say about a person without honor who loses everything in the fight? Is there anything left? Hard question. Life is unpredictable.

A new day has begun and the sun is more merciless. The prisoners from Bedford Hills are sent to sort garbage from the landfill. A new method to save the environment. Some inmates take plastic recipes, other papers or glass objects. These objects are cleaned at the water jet and send on their truck. Each truck, has his material and his destination. Recyclable materials are sent to factories, cleaned and transformed. Organic material is sent to be composted. Non recyclable materials are burned. Each prisoner is watched by a guard, Each truck is defended by two merciless guards.

Many armed guards are around the prisoners. Some trucks wait to be filled. Power of the sun makes the smelly hard and the air insupportable. The inmates have only the plastic gloves and bags. Our guardian works hard to ease her situation. She collects hard objects made of glass, walking between garbage. Many pieces are pierced, others are hard. She clean them at water taps, after she carried ten kilograms of glass. This glass was collected in two hours.

"Where is the truck with glass?"

"There! The green one."

Redhead girl carries the glass twenty meters to the truck, after the guard responds. She throws the glass in the truck. She will still have to work four hours. After another five bags with the same weight, her body begun to lose the control. Redheaded girl falls to her hands and begins to vomit on the garbage. For a moment, her vision is unclear like the mud. Our guardian cleans her eyes and her mouth with a slow move her hand. With a bag filled with glass, she continues her road between the hills of garbage and altered food.

At the end of the program the prisons are blindfolded. They are sends in vans, which will lead them back to the prison, where they will take their lunch.

The birds fly smooth above the Sheffield Institute. It's break time and many students are outside. Some of them play with balls, other eat and other talk. Our four guardian form their square. Emotions flows strong in body of water guardian. Mind of fire guardian is burned by questions. Earth guardian feels as she was hit be stones. Mind of air guardian is storm by tornadoes.

"So, your dad punish you?"

"For three days, but he says because I left the classroom."

"It's not about Will?"

"Don't be upset."

"Has forbidden you to visit her?"

"I try, but you didn't see her hit with head on the stairs."

"Wait, we can visit her?"

"Yes, but is very far, Hay. From what I read, it's over a hundred kilometers away from Heatherfield. And we are minors. We need our parents to go with us there."

"He says he doesn't want to send his daughter in a prison."

"Understand him. He sees many criminals."

"Oh… Yeah… Especially bloody Wilma."

"He isn't work alone. At the investigation participated criminologist, interrogators and investigators."

"I can't accept the idea that she is in jail for something she didn't do. I'm not interested if my dad work alone or not."

"She will need a lawyer. Your father can help Taranne?"

"I don't know… A trial has some costs. I don't know where we can get some money."

"I will try to find if my parents have vacant posts at restaurant. Perhaps we can work there."

"What if they doesn't need? Never mind… It's not just about money, but the time. Summer is coming and perhaps will pass some weeks when the trial will begin."

"What about her father?"

"Her parents were divorced… I hope her father found what happened to her."

"I hope he will find fast, but I have a sensation he will not find very soon."

"Tara, why mister Collins talks with your dad?"

"I don't know. I hope it's nothing bad about me."

Many prisons are outside, in the hexagon of concrete, in their free time, after the lunch. Even she is here for only a day, our guardian want to leave this place at any cost. She knows if she evade, she will make her situation difficult. Our guardian leans on the concrete wall, isolated from the rest of groups of prisoners. Crimson girl tries to relax her body, covered by the shadow of concrete wall. Her face is faded. She looks sad at the heart, how it shines. The light is strong like a explosion of a rocket. Carolyn sees the light and goes to the redhead with fast steps.

"Hey! What do you have there?"

"It's not your job!"

"Come on, beauty!"

Our guardian hides it in her shirt how fast she can and makes two steps to Carolyn. She tries to steals shirt of redheaded girl, but she fight back. Our guardian fight back and pushed Carolyn. She still has a reason to fight, even her loved ones were killed in a brutal way.

"Come on, give me it."

"Never!"

Carolyn tries to punch her, but redhead dodges and punch her in face. She hits her in stomach with right leg. The brunette falls on the concrete like a feather. Marybeth sees her. Many savage screams and taunts fill the air. Marybeth yell like a soldier ready to attack.

"You sure are bitch, kid!"

Marybeth with her five friends come slowly to Will. Marybeth attacks fast, but our guardian dodges her hit, turning to the left. She punches the left side of the blond's face. She almost falls, but remains steady. Another woman comes from the right side and hits the redheaded in the belly with a knife. A cold sensation hit inside of guardian's body. A warm liquid begins to fall on her leg.

Chaos has begun to spread, in the yard of Bedford Hills. Some guards try to calm the spirits, other are running to the epicenter of the chaos. The body of our guardian is bleeding on the merciless ground. A woman takes the heart from her shirt. Redheaded puts the hands on it. She hits with the leg, but too many guests come to her face. The heart falls on the soft grass. Seven guards pushed them. The sound of an automatic weapon is heard. The guards stopped the fight and immobilize them. The guard with dark eyes and spiky hair comes.

"You two, send her to the medic. You, send them six to the solitary."

"To the solitary. Come on."

"To the solitary, bitch!"

Will stretches her weak hand to the heart, but her fingers are too far from it. The blood flows from the stomach like water of a river. Her mouth is filled with blood and her teeth are yellow. Her eyes look at the sky, with tears of pain and suffering.

An unknown woman takes the heart from the grass and hide it in the shirt. She hide herself in the crown. The guard with spiky hair looks at her with hate and mercy. The same guard who welcomed her in the prison.

"I don't let you to die so easily… You taste too little from the hell!"


	6. The souls

** The souls**

The soul does not know life situations without an end. But, how will find the soul the end of a dark situation? Each person has a good side and a dark side. One side will goes to the road of life, but which? Life can't be explained, just lived.

The class hours has end and water guardian is going to her home. Her face is sad and her minds are filled with much thought. She steps softly on the sidewalk, outside of Sheffield Institute. She sees two familiar faces. The professor of biology talks with mister Collins.

"How are you doing, Collins? I hear you want to see me."

"Yes, it's about my lizard. You see I didn't have much time to take care of it. I hope the laboratory of biology is interested to host a new species."

"It sound good. Do you to donate it?"

"If it's possible to sell it."

"How much?"

"With how much is possible."

"Come with it tomorrow and we will talk about it."

"Thanks you very much, mister!"

They shake their hands and move to opposite direction, She hear entire dialog, walking on the hot concrete.

"Why sells mister Collins his pet? Why he talks with father of Taranne? Wait! Everything it's logic. He gets money for the lawyer of Will. Oh… And what I do? Nothing… I'm useless. We fought together against many monsters and now we can't fight against of a simple criminal. Perhaps I can sell Cedric to a Zoo…"

She whispers to herself. The thoughts are too powerful to remain untold. Water guardian continues her way to home. On the way she observes a boy. Apparently he is same age like her. He is not too ugly, but not the most attractive boy, perhaps he is most ignored by the girls. Water guardian knows she can be very attractive and she can select her boys. She knows some boys like him will pay to be with a girl like her. In her mind is a tornado of thoughts, from guardian duty to the boy in front.

Irma recognize him. It's not first time when she sees him. Nearly everyday she sees him goes on this alley. For her, perhaps he is in the same school with her. A idea stroke her brain. She can understand she can get money from the boy in exchange for some services, but she is blocked not just by the fear. She knows that is illegal and that cost her very much. Water guardian tries to rationalize entire situation. She thinks about her leader and understands someone innocent can be in jail. And in same time she understand someone guilty can escape. She goes more near to him. In her mind is a war, between the safe of her person and the loyalty for her friend.

"Hi! I think I see you at Sheffield. My name is… Paula!"

"Hi! I'm Jacob. Yes! I learn at Sheffield Institute. I come with my parents in this town, two years ago. I didn't see you before. How do you recognize me? At Sheffield are many boys."

"You see, I'm born in this city. If you need help…"

"No, no, thanks! You are pretty!"

"No, no… It's my pleasure… It's my pleasure to help you with pleasures of life."

"What?"

They stopped from walking. He is looking curious. Her heart feels as it's ready to explode. The blood is hot in her veins. Her breath nearly stopped. Her mind feels as it's under electroshock. Water guardian tries to show no emotion. She give him a paper, smiling at him.

"Take it! It's my number. Only fifty dollars, a hour, you and me. Okay, I lets you! Goodbye!"

She begins to continue her way to home. She is trying to relax herself. He is very reticent, but she is pretty girl and the price is low. The hormones beat his ration.

"Do you are free tomorrow?"

"Yes… Yes, I'm free, but only a hour after class hours."

"Okay we will see tomorrow after class hours."

Evening is coming with big steeps. At silver dragon, after a day of work, many people pass here to get their meals. Air guardian works with hard breath. She nearly takes the plates covered with exotic food. The smart guardian eats a small portion of Quick Noodles Recipe. Cornelia tastes some **Stir Fried Tofu with Rice.**

"Sorry girls! But they have only one vacant post."

"It's okay… Just continue your work."

The guardian of the wind is not working because are many people in restaurant. The extenuation is visible on her face. The two guardians continue their discussion, with low voices.

"What were you saying?"

"I talked with Caleb and he said no one prisoner had escape."

"No one? No Cedric, Phobos, Nerissa, Frost…"

"No one. He says he will check more careful and will tell me if is something. He will counts the lurdens."

"Can a lurden use a pistol? Or to wear gloves?"

"I don't know but I don't want to see."

"I'm scared about other thing. I tried to contact Will with my telepathy, but was as she doesn't receive anything."

"She need more time, perhaps… After what happened."

"It's not just that. I have many scenario in my mind. What if really she killed her mother?"

"That is impossible!"

"I know, but I try to identify all possibilities. I'm thinking if Will will be able to continue guardian duty. I don't want to be in her skin."

"Same. I hope Kandrakar will not call us."

The two guardians payed their portions and go to their homes. Evening is silence at Cook's residence. The whole family is gathered around the table. Poultry at oven dominates the center of the table. Four plates and green salads are on the margins. Peter and Lionel make fun about some subjects, laughing at each other. The fire guardian tries to talk with her father.

"Dad, can I talk with you?"

"Yes, Taranne..."

"Sorry that was too funny."

"I want to talk about Will."

"Oh… Taranne, stop! You will never speak her name, again."

"Mom! Please! She is not a criminal."

"Hey! Don't argue! I talked about her with mister Collins. I tried to contact her father, but I didn't find him. We will go to talk with her at penitentiary, when it will be possible."

"Can I go with dad?"

"Taranne, that is crazy!"

"Mom, only I want to see her."

"Stop… Stop! Terry, I'm a lawyer and my job is to defend not to judge. I don't know if she is a criminal. I have to talk with her first. Taranne, I think your mother is alright. The prison can change a person. I have many cases."

"I understand dad, but only a visit. Please."

Our guardian is on a bright plain with tall grass and colorful flowers. The sky is nearly white. Her red hair makes a powerful contrast with the green of grass. She looks around disoriented, walking on the grass soft like the silk. Around are many colors unseen by the human eyes. The shapes unimaginable shapes by the minds of human. She sees a brunette woman and a brunette boy, two familiar faces. Our guardian began to run. She runs faster and faster.

"Mom! Matt! I'm here!"

Her smile is more brightness. She run how fast as she can. They are getting more far.

Our guardian doesn't stop and continue to run faster.

"Mom! I come! Matt!"

The image become unclear. The brightness and the colors disappear. The black cover the landscape. At a moment, she fall in a black void. She open her eyes. Oxygen fills her lungs. A strong voice is heard.

"You are lucky! We thought you are death. You have lost half of your blood."


	7. Nothing to lose

** Nothing to lose**

The death, many are scared when they hear its name. The light of life is lost. Your body gets one with the lifeless dirt. You lost the chance to fulfill your dreams, but the death is the easiest part of the life. The pains and sadness disappear. The time doesn't limit you anymore. Perhaps, if you want to get strength to endure life, then you have to be ready to accept death.

Our guardian opens her flickering eyes, looking around disoriented around the white room. The bed caresses her wounds, her scratches and the bones of her back. Life support machine makes beeps on her right ear. Her trembling hands tighten the quilt around her fists. Her gaze is without trace of hope, looking with big eyes at the sad ceiling.

"You were lucky! The knife didn't hurt your intern organs, but you will have some muscle pain in that zone. You lost fifty percent of your blood and after three hours of coma your body is as you didn't lose blood. I didn't see something like that… It's nearly 1:00 AM. Try to rest. You will be sent back in your cell, in the morning."

Redheaded girl turns her gaze to the medic, when the medic tells her about her medical situation. After these words, the medic exits from the room, walking softly on the white tiles. The sound of doorknob flies in the cold air. She sits on the right side, with the right hand under pressure of her head. Her gaze is empty and sad. Her wink is slow and followed by a small tear who flows around of her cheek.

The hours of working on garbage land pass slowly and painful. Our guardian takes her lunch as she hasn't eat in her life. A consistent portion of black bean is on her plate. The groups of prisoners are spread around in the canteen. Only a redheaded girl remains alone at the table. Forced by her stomach, she eats the bean with slowly moves. Her eyes are focused on the wall over the table. Her hand trembles slowly on the spoon. Her mouth remains with bitter taste. She takes her plate to be washed and goes out.

Another day come, and the time flies like a plane, straight ahead and linear. Energy of students romps in the Sheffield Institute. The hour class is finished. Water guardian sits with her right side on the wall. Her eyes look at grass with powerful green. Her face is restless and cold. Her backpack is heavy like her thoughts. She thinks about what she did yesterday. The pulse of her heart is like the sound of automatic gun.

"Hey, Irma! Are you okay?"

"Yes! I'm fine! Only I waiting for someone. You can go without me."

"Okay! We didn't think your dad punish you so hard. Bye!"

Her friends exits from the yards of a school. The Sun begins slowly to get down. Water guardian is still thinking about what she is doing. She turned her face to the other side. Jacob comes behind her.

"Hi!"

"Oh… Hi! You scared me…"

"Sorry! I didn't want. Are you okay? You scared me with your offer."

She follows him to his house.

"We will do at your home. And don't try to do something wrong..."

"Okay! My parents are not at home, how you want... "

"I'm tempted to ask you something."

"What?"

She asks cold, while they are moving slowly.

"Why are you doing that?"

"I don't think it's important at this moment."

"I was just curious…"

"I do that to save a friend. Her name is Will."

"I think I hear about her. She was arrested… I didn't thought about that."

She prefers to remain silent and don't tell him about her friend. They walked five minutes until they are in front of his house. Water guardian knows such a situation is dangerous and she is careful at each detail, at his moves and his attitude. Time past very fast for her. An hour is like a minute. Minutes become seconds and seconds become milliseconds. Her blood flows faster in her body. In her body is a storm. Waves of hormones flood her mind.

The house of Jacob's parents is one average with a small yard and two levels. He opens the door and enters. Jacob close door after her. He behaves like a gentleman. She follows him in his room with her glance at the floor. Feeling of danger doesn't leave her, but in a way she like this feeling. This sensation make her the breath deeper.

"Sorry, I have to call someone. A minute please."

"No problem..."

"Hi, dad! I will be late with a hour, I have some work at radio of school. I try to come how fast I can."

"Okay! Not more than a hour."

"Yes! Dad I love you."

Jacob open the door and he enters first in his room. He processed her words and he understand what she is doing. She follow him, biting her lips. Her face is white like the milk. Her blood flows like the water of a cascade.

"First, the money!"

"Take, fifty dollars."

Water guardian hides her wallet and gets down her shirt, throwing it on the wooden floor. She puts hands on his neck and begin to kiss Jacob slowly. Her skin is getting warm like a cookie in oven. They are falling on the bed. Textile material cover their hot skins. She feels how cascade of water form between her legs. His touch make her to tremble like the waves of the sea. A mental fight conquer her mind.

Redheaded girl search for the lost heart, in the yard of prison looking in all directions. She moves fast with big steps. Meter after meter, inch after inch… Her patience become weaker. Her hope is lost. Her eyes are tired and her mind stirred. She sits down on the soft grass, covered by shadow of concrete wall and with tears in eyes.

Marybeth fights with another prisoner, in a far corner, surrounded by other women who scream, cheer or taunt the two fighters. Our guardian raises her face when she hears the noises. She sees the scene, in the same time. Marybeth puts her adversary on the ground and give her some fists in the head. The women who surrounded them cheer the blond. A black tall woman appears with a purple shiny medallion with spheric shape. She puts the medallion on the neck of Marybeth.

"The winner will gets this jewelry. Who want this, she must fight with the last winner."

The blond raises her hands like a bodybuilder, with arrogance and a sadistic smile on her face. She shows her face to every angle, to every corner. A fist hits the left side of her face, after the moment of pride. Marybeth was nearly to fall, but take her defensive position. Our guardian attacks without fear. The mass begins to cheer and taunt the two fighters. Redheaded girl gives many punches to face of her adversary. The blond blocks her hands. Both try to push each other to the hot ground. The blood is burning in their veins.


	8. Nothing to win

** Nothing to win**

The hope, a powerful word, who caressing your hearing. A powerful feeling, who warm your body. It's the last reason for the fight, when everything is lost. But, what's happening with hope when nothing can be win? It's lost? Or will your soul finds a reason to fight?

The silence of wild air is shaken by the voices of prisoners. In the hexagon of concrete a circle of prisoners bold two fighters. One fight for the respect of the others. Other one fight for reason to life, the heart of Kandrakar. The eyes of our guardian are filled with the heat, but her heart is filled with the hope. The body of redheaded is filled with pains and wounds, but her mind is filled only with the reasons to fight: the memories of the loved ones, of her boyfriend, of her friends, of her mother, and the responsibility of the leader of the guardians.

The two prisoner push each other to the hard ground who don't know mercy. Their teeth are clenched like a piece of metal under the force of a hydraulic press. Here is no reason to show mercy or weak. The muscles of hands are nearly exploded. The faces of two fighters are nearly red because of the heat of summer and the energy of this chaos.

"I thought you were dead!"

"Only you tried!"

Our guardian hits her in the belly with her leg, while she puts the hand on the heart of Kandrakar and drag from the her neck.

"That is not yours!"

Marybeth rises slowly from the ground and jump on her with the knife to her neck, putting her down on the rough ground.

"I will be sure, now!"

"Quintessence!"

She pronounces with a low voice, her power. The blond is thrown and fall on the ground hard unconscious. Many women look disoriented at the two fighters. The guards are coming to the place of incident. The legs of our guardian are tremble and her mouth is dry. The wound on the belly is opening and a blood stain is visible on orange skirt. Her vision is blurry like a cloud. Her hands stop her fall on the hard concrete. The heart of Kandrakar jump on the ground. The pain of the wound is harder than the steel of the knife.

The girls continue their student life: The Chinese girl works hard at the parent's restaurant, Cornelia washes her hair, Taranne finishes her homework and Irma… and Irma is wet.

Their bodies are covered with a dark quilt. Her breath is hard. She is on the left side of the bed looking at the ceiling of his room. The bed is on the right side of the room. Left side is covered by a window. In the front is a door. A desk is in the back of the room.

"Oh… you are not bad for an ugly boy…"

"Thanks, if that is a compliment. You are better than I thought…"

She rises from bed and pick up her clothes from the floor. He turns on right side and looks at the moves of her naked body. The curves are elegant and her touch was gentle.

"I don't want to spoil your pleasure, but I have to go…"

"No problem… It's okay!"

"Ah… I forget, don't tell anyone about what happened here."

"I don't… If you are interested, I know someone who would like you."

"We will talk after school… I have to go."

Our guardian opens her weak eyes. She is in a bed, looking around disoriented around the white room. The pains destroy her mind, but the bed caresses her wounds, her scratches and the bones of her back. Life support machine makes beeps on her right ear. She looks with big eyes at the sad ceiling, meanwhile a guard come to her.

"You are called!"

She turns her weak eyes to man with green uniform and black equipment. Our guardian put her hands on the bed an begin to raise from the hard bed. He helps her to rise from the bed. Handcuffs cover again her weak hands. The guards drag her to the destination.

An office of the prison is a simple room. Dark blue furniture and white walls make a contrast. Some chairs and a desk or on the gray sandstone. A shelf with documents cover the left wall. Right wall is covered by a thermopane window. A black woman guard looks at a shelf filled with folders. A white man guard with spiky short hair is at the desk, looking curiously at the pink jewel from his hand. Meanwhile, he analyzes the heart of Kandrakar with a device for detecting waves. The black door with thermopane is open. Redheaded enters in room, kept by two guards. Black material from her eyes is taken by the hands of the guards.

"Our friend… Wilhelmina, alright? Please, sit down."

"I prefer Will."

While she tell her short name, she softly sit down in the chair. His hand take something under the desk.

"I prefer to tell me Coolio. I have some questions for you. What is that?"

"The heart of Kandrakar."

"I like these lights. I never seen such a thing before… It's a toy?"

"It's something important."

"I find that has a special waves, a different electromagnetic frequency."

Her legs are weak like two noodles. She hopes he didn't find something about her guardian life. Crimson girl feels as she fall in black void. It's only thing what she need to happening. Our guardian want her heart back, with any cost. Each word of his voice hit her mind like a bullet. Her heart beat fast like a clock alarm.

"What do you want to say?"

"I want to say this looks like a communication device. Anyway, the walls reflects the electromagnetic waves and five kilometers around of the prison is only forest. So it's totally useless."

"It's not a communication device."

"Why is important for you?"

"I will not answer at your question! Give me that!"

She jumps over the desk and tries to get the medallion from his hand. The other guards stop her and drag her from him.

"Easy, easy… I will give you that, but when you exit from the prison. Now, you will go to the solitary."

Our guardian is still with handcuffs on her weak hands. Coolio are behind her, while a guard open the three hard doors of solitary. Her heart beat harder and harder. Her breath is irregular. She thinks only at most bad thing.

"Someone says that you can forget your life before you are inmate, if you stay here many hours. Of course... We never know, but you will. Say goodbyes to your friends!"

She is thrown by Coolio in dark room. The noises of doors shake her mind. The room doesn't have a window or furniture, only darkness. The last ray of light runs before the doors are closed.  
She thinks again what she can do. Again and again… Her mind is filled with dark thoughts like a basket filled with apples. But her soul is empty. She hears doesn't feel an emotion. Now, only her hope is the door of solitary will be opened.


	9. The light

** The light**

The light, a strange energy who gives the color of objects. Our eyes are useless without light, because the image is not created without it. You are blind without light. What you can do when is no light around you? Only your brain can answer on this question.

Our guardian is in solitary. A cold room used to punish prisoners. A dark room used to discipline them. Her ideal to defend heart bring her in a merciless room. She tries to look around, but only visible is veins of her eyes. The sound of the rough metal door hit the walls again and again.

She is sitting down on the cement floor, how was pushed by the guards. Her thin hands try to support the weight of her shoulders and her knees are raised over the cold floor. Crimson girl relaxes her neck and lets her head fall slowly. Her head is hit by a hard object. Tears begin to cover her eyes. A scream of pain spreads in the air of the room. She tightens her jaw to stop pain.

She touches with hands the strange object, after a moment of pain and tears. It's round and metallic. A cold metal bar is warmed by her hands. She continues to touch the unknown object and moves her hand farther. A strange sensation is felt of her skin. A cotton fabric caressing her hands. She moves her hands farther and farther. She raises from the floor with the entire body. After a moment she feels something soft.

"That is a… a pillow! Is this a bed?"

She whispers to herself with weakness and hope. Without thinking very much, she lets her body fall in metal bed. The cotton touches her ribs, which are more and more visible. Her skin is covered by red tracks of blood and her face is dirty like a soccer ball. She can't relax. The dark of room create hallucinations similar to image from horror movies. She knows these are not real, but these images looks very realistic.

The man raises above the metal buildings of Heatherfield. The light of sad lanterns fills the road with many shadows. The small cracks in cement are covered by the shadow of a girl. Water guardian makes big steps on the dark concrete with backpack in left hand. Her right hand pushed the door of her house. A voice begins to break the silence of her mind.

"Irma… You are late! How was your day?"

He speak very relaxed. She looked at him how he read the paper on the sofa while she puts her backpack on the hanger. Her mind is filled with the idea he knows what she did today. But she tries to be chill and break the silence.

"Fine dad! Thanks! I'm sorry because I'm late, but was some problems at school radio and remain until are solved."

"It's okay, Irma! We talked about that on the phone. I hope you are hungry because dinner was already prepared."

Members of Lair family gather at a wooden table from the kitchen. Anna Lair take out the chicken from the oven and prepare salad. On the table is a cream soup with carrots. Irma tries to eat a small portion while Chris is nearly to finish his portion. Tom relishes the orange soup and break the silence of the room.

"I can't understand… Anna! Please sit down!"

"I'm not hungry dear."

"Come on! You worked hard. It's delicious..."

"What can't you understand dad?"

"How some people can lose their wallet. Three come today because of that. I don't know what is in their minds… Irma you are so silent… What happened to the radio?"

He asks with a relaxed voice, smiling. She tries to get an answer to his question, but her thoughts are clouded by recent events.

"A… A technical problem, but was solved."

"What was the problem solved by Martin?"

"Martin wasn't there. I was alone..."

"What was?"

"The microphone doesn't work… and after some search I find an unplugged cable."

She speaks fast. Her father ask with a playful voice. He is nearly to laugh.

"Come on Irma… A cable beat you?"

"No, dad..."

She rises from her chair and exits from the kitchen with silent steps. Water guardian climbs the stairs slowly with glare down. She let her body fall on the soft bed and try to enjoy of the beginning of the weekend. Irma's glare is on the ceiling, at the light. She feels ashamed about what she did this day. She hope that will help her friend.

"If my dad would know what type of cable was plugged… He will be mad!"

Water guardian turned her body to left side, thinking about the day what already pass. She looks at the earned money and hide them in a drawer. She is still thinking about what she did this day. It's to hard for her to start homework.

"Wait a minute… Jacob doesn't have a condom!"

Water guardian whispers to herself with a shocked voice. She hopes her father didn't hear her. She looks at the door what is closed. That take a stone from her heart. Now, her mind is filled the most bad thoughts. She toughs she find a solution. Now, she understand everything come with a cost. She hopes she will not get pregnant or infected with a exotic disease. The touch of water between her leg relax her and distract her from many problems. She feels how her head is more relaxed and weight less. Water guardian likes to swim in the ocean of danger, but she knows a shark can attack her.

A new morning and light of the sun shows the color of the objects. But walls of solitary block the light outside. Only black and hallucinations are visible. Our guardian still sleeps in the metallic bed until a sound awake her. A strong sound come from the doors. Coolio opens them without mercy. The weak light of prison scares the eyes of the redhead. She puts hands over her eyes by reflex. His voice is hard and powerful.

"I hope you didn't forget your friends!"

Our guardian moves forward, pushed by the guards. The sad material from her eyes is taken by the hands of the guard. The light hits her eyes. Her vision is blurred and waked after the darkest of the previous hours.

She looks disoriented in the big room where entered. In the visiting room are many tables with frame of steel and wooden plate. Each table has four chairs, three on the side and one on the other side. At some tables are inmates visited by their families. Behind her are the two guards who bring her here. She is put on an empty table.

Crimson girl waits looking around. After a moment she sees two men come to her table. She rises from the chair. Her glare is down to the floor but raised it. The Red head girl looks at them and make big eyes. Our guardian sees a black man with short hair in yellow shirt. A man with mustache, pale skin and ginger hair is near him. A black girl with eyeglass and short hair is behind them. Voice of crimson girl is weak, but her word is spoken strongly. She makes big eyes and become more amazed. Our guardian thought she will never see a friend when she was arrested.


	10. Only you can free yourself

** Only you can free yourself**

From the beginning of civilization, the human fight for the freedom, against of the master or of something more powerful than him. But what is the freedom? The chance to do what you want? It's something more… The chance to get your decision. But what is the price of freedom?

It's morning and new day begin. The light raises over the Bedford and the face of our guardian. Her face shows no emotion, but her eyes reveal powerful sensations. Mister Cook breaks the silence between them and shake hands with our guardian.

"Perhaps you know me, I'm Cook Lionel, father of Taranne. I think it's better to sit down."

They are sitting down to the their chairs. Dean looked at her orange uniform and notices a red stain on the right side, near to the belly. A small feeling of anxiety appears on his face. Taranne puts a hand to a chair and drag it until she see a white bandage under her skirt. The button from the bottom of her skirt was not close. But fear of the fire guardian just begun. She looked at the neck of redhead girl and she doesn't see the Heart of Kandrakar. A small shiver crosses her spine. Lionel Cook remains cold and get a pen and a notebook from his briefcase. While Will sits on the chair and put her hands with handcuff on the table, fire guardian tries to make a telepathic with the leader guardian.

"Mister Collins paid me, I'm your lawyer. I'm here to defend you and what I need is to be honest with me and to answer at all my questions."

"Yes."

"We have… We have to talk about things: death of your mother and the death of Matt. I please you to remain calm and to stay to think what happened."

"Okay..."

She shallows her saliva looking at her lawyer and at her teacher. Taranne remains silent and she uses her power to look at the memory of our guardian and try to see everything what is necessary.

"Good. The most important thing what I need to know is if you killed your mother."

"No, no, no, I didn't kill her and I didn't want that."

"So, what happened on that day?"

"During that day… She took me by car and leave me at the school. After school, I come with the bus..."

"Was someone in the bus with you? Someone you know?"

"Cornelia."

"Okay, continue…"

Coolio is at three meter behind of our guardian. He hears the dialog between two. Near him another guard is standing with the hand on the weapon. Taranne tries to look in the mind of her friend and sees the image of Susan on the floor.

"I enter in the building and on the stairs, I see the door was open. I looked in the crack and I see her on the floor."

"Did you call the ambulance?"

"Yes…"

"You see… Only your marks on her body. Therefore, where you touch her?"

"She was on the left side of the floor and I touch her on the hand and on the neck, between floor. I said that to the police."

"Therefore, you touch her on the right hand and left side of neck?"

"Yes."

"Okay, criminologists and investigators need this information."

Meanwhile, Taranne continues to look in the memory of her friend. She sees the first night in the prison, she sees how the two inmates attacked her and she sees something worse. Fists in the face, blood on the grass, a knife in muscles and fights between inmates and her leader.. The fear begins to fill her mind. Image of garbage, image of solitary fill minds of fire guardian. With anxiety in her mind, fire guardian continues to search more and more information. She sees images of a guard who have the heart in his hand. Taranne lost focus on the mind of her friend and tries to find if that guard is here.

Coolio is looking at them with a cold expression on his face. He sees how black girl changes her glance. How her glance is no more fixed and is dynamic as she looking for something. He inserts his hand in pocket from the top of his skirt and get out a bright jewel. He looks at jewel with pink light metallic support.

Taranne turned her glance to him. He begins to smirk at her. Meanwhile, she reads mind of him. Fire guardian has the image of her leader wounded and covered with blood, with a knife in her body and punished, like a criminal, to sleep without a bed. The heart of fire guardian beats more powerful than of a sonar of submarine followed by the torpedoes.

"It's what I need it's more details about what happened. Your mother has an enemy?"

"No, I don't remember…"

"Think about what was around you… Something strange that was there when they die."

"I try… But I don't find anything."

"Or something changed at your mother, or Matt."

"Nothing changed… I can't find something strange. My mind is filled with many things."

"What hour was when you leave the bus?"

"I don't know exactly. I know was eighteen and four when I find my mother… on the floor."

"But before to enter, you didn't find something strange… "

"Will, a person, an object, a car or something different."

"A car… A red car… I see it before I enter into the building and at the park."

"Did you see the driver or the number?"

"The car had black windows, I didn't see the driver. The number… I'm trying to remember it. The number was familiar to me at that moment, but I don't know where."

"That can help."

"The number was…"

She puts her hands on her heads near to the area where she was hit by the metal frame of the bed.

"V… v… Only a v letter. After v was…"

She closes her eyes, her mind is filled with many details, but no one is clear. In the same time Taranne try to find herself the number, but her mind is exhausted.

"A… VAT"

Lionel writes in the notebook the three letters under the whole dialog and details give be his client. Taranne becomes stirred and wants to enter in mind of her friend, but doesn't want to make her friend to forget something.

"VAT… One, one…"

Our guardian think with all power of her mind. Her head feels like a metal piece under pressure of a hydraulic press. Lionel is waiting for a complete answer. He remains focused on the details. Her mouth begins to open again like an wave of calm sea.

"Nine!"

"It's VAT-119?"

"Yes!"

"Do you know the owner of car?"

"No! It's as I seen somewhere but I don't remember when."

"Do you remind anything else?"

"Nothing at the moment…"

"These details can help you. The investigation will continue and that will take time. If that will not work, then we will have a trial. That will take much time. You have to remember what happened in these days and to think about every detail. That will help you to free yourself. If you wouldn't tell me that details then I couldn't help you."

"Thank, but I said the same things to the police…"

"That will take much time than I think. I hope we will not have a trial. Much time will pass until to begin, weeks or maybe months. I don't want to talk about money. Be patient please."

Our guardian get down her glance to the her hand with handcuff. The men with ginger mustache put a semi-transparent plastic casserole with cover.

"I brought something for you, Will."

"Thanks professor!"

"I hope you are glad to see my daughter after these days. If you have some question I want to hear them."

"Only one…"

"I listen!"

"Where is my father?"

Lionel takes a depth, breath a bit, his lips. Her hand begins to tremble slowly again. Turn turns her glance to the hand of her friend.

"I tried to contact your father, to call him… But no one respond. I will continue to do that. What, I ask you is to try to remain patient and to remember more details. Now, I leave you!"


	11. Rainy Sunday

** Rainy Sunday**

It's the middle of Saturday. The color of sky is like as color of the cold steel. The clouds cover the Sun how grass cover the dirt in a park. Water tears stay chill on the leaves of trees. Others drops fall on the dusty dirt without mercy, between the trees of forest. The sky begins to cry after those hot days.

Some cars stay far from each other in a parking lot, near to the forest. Two men and a black girl run, in the parking lot. Their steps make the water from the cement to jump. Mister Cook opens the rear door for his daughter.

"Come on, Taranne! Rear seat."

"I wouldn't think that weather can become bad so fast…"

All of them are in the car. Fire guardian is on the back seat. Lionel is on the driver seat and Dean on the front seat near him. The landscape is monotone. On the center is a small road. On the right and left side are only big trees. Drops fall on the windows fast.

"Neither me, mister Collins. We will need a hour to move from prison to the Bedford."

"And another six hour to the Heatherfield."

"Taranne call your mother and tell her we will be back in seven hour."

"Yes, dad!"

"I know you were close to Susan and her daughter, mister Collins… But It will take three months to free her."

"What I need in this moment is to get her out and alive from the prison."

"I will talk to police and the investigators to find this car. That is the fastest solution. If they will find who has the car, in two or three weeks she will be free."

"The school will ends in a week… If she doesn't have enough marks, then she will repeats the year."

"I'm sorry for that, but I'm not only one who take these decisions…"

"I understand… Thats are the money for attorney and fuel."

"Put them there. However, her parents are divorced. I need to talk with mister Vandom how fast is possible. I don't find him at phone."

"That scare me, more than the blood stain of her skirt."

"Her hands scared me. At a moment it trembled."

"Cornelia told me that her hands begin to tremble after the death of Matt."

"Another brief… When you can, tell Cornelia I have to talk with her. She will be witness if will be a trial. Also I need to talk with her parents."

"When will be the trial?"

"I don't know Taranne. Many judges are in vacations. Summer begins. I have to talk with the police to find the car, the criminologists to check again crime scene, a new expertise… Taranne I ask you something."

"Yes dad…"

"I know you and Will were very close but, don't think very much at her. I know you aren't anymore a little girl but that is not your job and I don't that to affect you."

Meanwhile, our guardian returns to her cell, with the white plastic box in her hands. While she enters in the small room, the three doors are closed behind her by the guard. Read head girl is alone and looks around urged by instinct. Two elastics are around on the box. She removes them carefully. A strange sound move her eyes. Crimson girl looks at bottom of box then at the floor. A book falls on the floor. She picks up it and read it titles.

"Sun Tzu – Art of War…"

She sits down on the cold floor, with the head on the wall. In her hands are the book and the white box over the book. She drags caps and looked inside. Our guardian make big eyes.

"Baked chicken with vegetables… and orange sauce… You must not be seen by them. Stay here! Don't fly!"

After her dialog with the bird, she close the box and hide it under the bed. That small things give her a small hope. A hope that lighting the dark road of life.

The Sunday come fast with clouds on the sky. The officers of guards and the director of penitentiary are in the meeting hall. While the most of inmates and guards take their breakfast. Twenty officers are around of a big round wooden table. Two big windows take the place of a wall. On them are visible the drops of cold water who fall on the dusty ground. Some drops stay calm on the exterior side of glass. On the opposite wall are the some bookshelf with folders. The door is near to the bookshelf. Lixander is the director of penitentiary. A forty age man who is responsible for hundreds of inmates. His baldness shows the stress of many years of management, His emotions are cold and his voice is grave. He is standing up in front of his officers. He take the word with an impetuous style.

"I receive a proposal from Sports minister, yesterday evening. It's a new program with scope to reduce the number of inmates, crime rate and to promote the sport. We can send some inmates to the training program for individual sports: athletic, boxing, gymnastics, karate, mixed martial arts and swimming. Those of them who have good results at competitions, their punishment will be reduced proportional with the results. We have to respond to this proposal until to the next Monday, in one week. I know hard work will come over your shoulders… So I need to know your opinion."

"That is good thing… If we think we have over nine hundreds inmates and only two hundred work for community and twenty at recycling station. But how we select who will send? I think we can't send all of them…"

"That is the hardest part Coolio, to choose who will send."

"We can simple ask them…"

"Yes, but we don't know how many of them will want and what will be the results. We have to test them first."

"Over nine hundreds prisoners, Coolio? Where we test them and how?"

"Sports minister will help us with money but not a large sum."

"Director! Can I speak?"

"Yes, Ryan!"

"We have to many inmates here to send them to be evaluate, but we have some space in prison yard and we can build a track or something similar."

"And to test them here?"

"Yes, Coolio…"

"I think that can work…"

"It's not a problem with transport and security, here… Therefore, we can evaluate all of them and select first ten with the best result. As example…"

"There are some details, sir."

"Yes, Laura?"

"We will evaluate all of them? Or only who don't work?"

Many questions come in same time. Some of the officers raises from their chairs.

"First who will evaluate them? We need a trainer, or maybe more."

"Wait where we find of trainer?"

"When will test them?"

"Wait, wait… Why we are here, To find a answer to all of this questions."

"I think I find a answer for all all questions."

"Speak, Coolio."

"Tomorrow, we will request to the Sport minister, some equipments to build track to evaluate all of them. "

"How will we…"

"We will request to the Sport minister three or four coaches to evaluate them. We evaluate them next weekend, before the next Monday. We will build the track at the night between Friday and Saturday."

"How will distribute them?"

"After an inmate finish the track, she will be asked if she want and what sport she want."

"And what if an inmates who work is selected?"

"It's that a problem? Her job will be take by another who don't work and is not selected."

"We sort them ascending by the time until the track is finished and we select first ten or how many we send ."

"Now, we have to establish how we build the track and what we need to build it."

"These are technical questions. Coolio! Can you handle the construction of track? I know you worked two years in construction."

"It's not a problem for me. I come with the idea."

"I will send and email to Sports minister. We will meet tomorrow to establish other details. Dismiss!"

Meanwhile, our guardian returns from the canteen. Behind her the sound of door closing cover sound of her steps. She runs to the bed and hide the white box under it.

"I'm sorry but I can eat you at one meal. You are too big for me."

A sound begins to cover her voice. She raised her knees fast from the cold floor. The three doors of cell are opening.

"Hello, beauty! What are you doing with my bed?"

"Nothing, Carolyn!"

Red head girl moved with two steps back and hits with leg the box to hide it. Carolyn gets near to her with Marybeth behind. The brunette looks down at the floor.

"What is under my bed?"

"It's nothing."

"Do you think you fool me, beauty?"

Carolyn drags her electric orange skirts and puts her skinny body on the vertical metallic bar of the bed.

"No! It's not your bed! It's the bed of the prison. Now take your hands from me!"

Crimson girl pushed her and hit her with the leg in the stomach.

"I think you are wrong kid!"

A burning fight begins in the cold room. A series of punches and hits is changed between the red head girl and the two women.

On the corridor, two guard make their patrol. Only their steps are heard. They are looking around to be sure that here it's not a problem. After some seconds, noises and screams are spreads in the air. Two men shaken their heads around to find the source of mysterious sounds.

Marybeth drags her with whole force of her arms. In same time two guards open the door. She trow her face into mirror above the washbasin. The blood hovers the face of our guardian. She raised her glance and pushed Marybeth on the floor. A guard puts handcuffs around the hands of Marybeth, behind her. Carolyn tries to hit her but our guardian hits her faster in the left side of face. Another guard comes and drags Marybeth to a dark room. Breath of our guardian is very depth and hard. Some tears show the pain of the pieces of pierce glass in the skin. Rivers of bloods hover her face how the water rivers hover a swamp.

"You two to the solitary! Send them to the solitary! Now!"

"You will pay for that kid! You will kiss my…"

"Red head! Come with me to the medic! Quickly!"


	12. Survival instinct

**Survival instinct**

The Sun hide himself under the skyline. A gradient with dark blue and hot red leaves the sky and make space for the stars. The Moon takes the sky and with her light cover the leaves of trees. Soft shadows with strange shapes are visible on the sad ground. The branch of trees block the weak light to touch the dirt of forest. Silence covers the air of max security penitentiary for woman Bedford Hills. Some guards patrol the space between the two fences, the blind zone. This part of penitentiary has never been seen by an inmate or a visitor.

Meanwhile, our guardian enters in the office of Coolio with two guards behind her and with handcuffs over her hands. He hears the sound of door and turned the sight from the heart to her. She returns from medical office. Her face has many scratches like a rink. Pain is visible in her eyes.

"Ah, our friend! Sit down, please."

He speaks while he moves his hands, with a dark smile on his face. Red head girl doesn't looks happy and her glance moves to the heart. She is nervous, she promised to protect heart with her life.

"A scientific man said, the activity of the brain is directly proportional to level of ambient light. You were stirred last date and I thought you need a good sleep… Now, how I have some time, I think I can talk with you…"

Coolio turned his head to the heart what is on the office. His face is stoic. His eyes show curiosity.

"First thing, where are the batteries of that thing?"

"This doesn't has batteries, it's… it's made by a fluorescent material."

"Okay… I never seen such a thing. I think it's very valorous…"

"More important than my life."

"Therefore it's not just material value, but also one symbolic. Do will you die to protect it?"

"Yes!"

"Do will you kill to protect it?"

Our guardian doesn't respond, but he continued. She know this question has many means.

"Do you killed your mother to…"

Red headed girl begins hyperventilate and to raise from the chair. The guards behind her are ready to put her down again, but Coolio make a sign with his hand to stop them. She pushed her palms on the wooden office. He sees a small tear how fall on her cheek.

"I didn't killed my mother! I loved her and I never wanted to hurt her! Do you understand? I don't killed her! I will proof that."

He still looks in her eyes, with his dark and subtle smile. She breaths hard and looks in his eyes, even her sight is blurred by tears. Crimson girl tries to hide her tears and to hold her cry but, small tears continue to appear in her eye.

"Why is very important for you this object?"

"I swore to protect it with my life."

"That doesn't respond complete to my question. Why?"

"Personal reasons…"

"Your answers are vague… You will never escape this way, from this place."

"I will escape and I will never see you."

"I just started to know you… For a child you have much courage."

"I'm not a child anymore. Do you think you know something about me?"

"My job is to make this jail a safe place. But for that, I need to know the inmates."

"Trowing them in a dark room make you to know them?"

"In a way... Yes, that help me."

"What did you learn about me?"

"You are mysterious and mysteries are dangerous. Because you live a dangerous way, I give you an opportunity to make a choose."

He places the Heart of Kandrakar on the desk. The light is powerful and hypnotic.

"If you think it's better for the jewel to remain at you while you are in the jail, just take it."

The Heart of Kandrakar is the most valorous thing what she has at this moment. Her freedom was lost together with the most loved people in her life. Even her friends try to help her, the hope is to small to light the dark way of life. Crimson girl knows she can use the heart to protect herself. In missions is the most useful tool what she has. Her powers can expose her secret identity and that will not help her situation. She is trying to rationalize all situations. In a week, her powers saved her life for two times. Our guardian raised from her chair and walks to the door. The guards guide redhead girl to her cell.

She returns in her cell. While the doors are closing behind her, she takes a big shard from the floor, what remain from the mirror. The image is taken from the horror movies. Even with face cleaned off the glass shards, rivers of blood are still visible on her face and small wounds are still open. One is very near to one of her eye. Now, she thinks how nearly was to lose her eyesight.

Alone in the cell, alone in a place for the criminals, our guardian tries to determine her spot in the small room. She draws the box which rests below the bed to lay where she usually sleep. She undresses her strident orange shirt and cover the box. A simple black bra protects her upper part of body by a cold floor that her skin touches.

Her posture is hunched and give her pains. Her posture can creates problems for her back, but she is too scared to get in a bed and to be seen by one of her roommates. In the first week in the prison, she receives only violence, fear and pain. She is scared, but not by the silence or the two inmates. Because she loses the most important thing what she has. Now, she runs by her life, and focus her mind on the words of the book. Her skinny hands open the book with a trembling move. The cover is raised and the hazel pupils of redhead girl follow the position of each word.

The air guardian is in her room with the water guardian.

"I'm thinking to enter in the swimming team of the school… What do you think?"

"Will was in the team. Do you think it's a good idea?"

"Come on, Hay Lin! Do you think I want to compete against of Will? I can choose between three styles and different distance. She always chooses free-style, 200 meters. I think I can chooses 1400 meters. Perhaps, I will find a part-time job…"

"For the last days, you are very energetic. And you didn't make a joke today. What happened to you?"

"I was hit by a wave!"

"No, serious? I like your change, but I never seen someone who can change so fast. That scare me…"

"I not so energetic how you think. I plan to leave the radio school."

"You are saying this as you have very much work there."

The both girls are giggling. The fire guardian enters in the space of air guardian.

"Cornelia will come in fifteen minutes. She was busy with Lilian."

"I'm going to the toilet."

The water guardian leaves the bedroom of the chinese girl. She tries to run from the telepathic power of her friend. She grabs the pregnancy test what was bought after the class hours end. She reads the instructions carefully and executes them focused like a karate fighter. Her breaths are heavy and slow. She pees on it and wait impatient for result, impatient as a person who is going to die.

"Oh… Come on! Faster!"

The tiny display still shows nothing. Water guardian remembers one line means she is not pregnant and two lines means she is pregnant. Seconds past slowly and she feels like she stays here for minutes. Two knocks on the door raise the heart rate of water guardian. A voice scatters the silence of the room.

"Anybody here?"

The drops of sweating flow on her forehead as drops of water flow on the walls of a cave. She recognizes the voice. The voice is of a mature woman.

"In a second, Ms. Lin."

She feels ready to trow the tiny medical device on the window. The image changes suddenly. She is looking for the three times on the small display. A single line is displayed. She trows another glance at the device and trows it in the trash bin, before she leave the bathroom.

The earth guardian is on her way to the Hay Lin's house. The work program is finished for many of the people of Heatherfield. The roads are crowded with people who are walking to their homes. Between hurried people and stunning cars, she can distinguish a red car with black windows. The blonde girl remembers what her friend told them about Will. She tries to follow the car with quick steps and pushing some people. She can see the car goes to a market. She continues her way counting on what she saw two seconds ago.

In front of the market is a parking lot. She hides herself in the bushes and continues to examine the cars. Some red cars are parked shy between the composition of the colors. On the other side of the parking lot, the light of Sun exposes the black windows of a red car. The blonde guardian hides in crown and she tries to get a good spot. She identifies the number and it's the same number what fire guardian told her. Her body stays shy behind of a concrete path. She uses her power to increase the size of the plant.

The plant widened her leaves slowly. She grabs her phone and shoots some photos. A man opens the door of the car. Cornelia careful takes some more photo while he enters in the vehicle. The car runs away.

Earth guardian takes a glance at her gallery. The thought the photo was unclear make her weak like a sand pile. The car is visible and matriculation number is readable. In the photo is visible a man enters in the red vehicle. His pale skin reflects the light of the sun. His head is covered by a black cap and his face is covered by Sun eyeglass. He wears a black T-shirt. She meditates a second about the fact some people around her wear red and black. She leaves thoughts about fashion and retake her way to the Hay Lin's house. After she relaxed after the pursuit, blonde guardian whispers to herself.

"Nobody messes with the Guardians of the Kandrakar."


End file.
